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Palestinian dies as Israel raids Nablus

A Palestinian has been killed by his own bomb in the Balata refugee camp as fierce clashes erupted between Israeli troops and Palestinians during an army raid in the northern West Bank city.

11 Dec 2005 06:48 GMT

Israeli troops raided the West Bank to arrest wanted fighters

Palestinian medical sources said Iyyad Hashash, a 19-year-old al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades resistance fighter, suffered critical injuries when the bomb he was trying to throw at troops in the camp exploded prematurely.

He died shortly afterwards.

The incident occurred during a gun battle between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters that was sparked when scores of troops pushed into the camp to arrest wanted fighters.

Security officials said three tanks surrounded the camp and about 45 Israeli Jeeps and trucks entered.

As the shooting continued, troops conducted house-to-house searches for fighters, they said.

Hashash's death raised to 4905 the overall toll since the Palestinian intifada or uprising began in September 2000, more than three-quarters of which have been Palestinian.